THE POPLAR 



IN the latter part of April, some of the most con- 

 spicuous groups in many of the wooded districts of 

 Northern New England are Poplar woods, full of olive- 

 green arnents, and giving the hue of their blossoms and 

 of their pale green spray to large portions of the forest 

 in scattered assemblages. At this period the poplars are 

 an important ingredient in our wood-scenery, especially 

 as their colors vary considerably from those of other trees 

 until all kinds are in full foliage. They have the merit 

 also of preceding a greater part of the forest in the de- 

 velopment of their flowers. The aments of a few species 

 are variegated with red and purple stamens ; but the gen- 

 erality do not vary from a pure olive. The Poplar has not 

 many of the qualities of a beautiful or picturesque tree. 

 It is marked by a coarse and straggling spray, without 

 any variety in its combination. It is deficient in beauty 

 and density of foliage, which is chiefly remarkable for its 

 fragrance and tremulous habit. 



All the poplars are rapid in their growth, and will 

 prosper in almost all situations. They prefer a moist, 

 sandy soil, but shun the peat meadow. Their rapidity of 

 growth renders them valuable where a speedy plantation 

 is wanted. Hence they are very generally planted by the 

 sides of dusty thoroughfares, not being dainty in their 

 choice of soil and situation. The species generally em- 

 ployed for such purposes is the Abele, or Silver Poplar, 

 which possesses these requisite properties in a higher de- 

 gree than our native trees. It displays also more beauty 



